DIGITAL.NEOSKOSMOS.COM THE WEEKEND NEOS KOSMOS | SATURDAY 13 AUGUST 2016 17 NIKOS FOTAKIS burden to an industry already struggling to remain relevant, crippled by the competition of online media. And yet, as paradoxical as it may seem, it was these adverse circumstances that gave birth to a print media success story: an upmarket global magazine, edited in Greece and circulating around the world, aptly named Nomas (the Greek word for nomad). Created by the acclaimed photographer Yannis Bournias, the magazine offers a fresh outlook on the world, redefining the concept of 'luxury' lifestyle, as it travels across the globe in search for mental and sensual stimulation. Each issue is dedicated to a certain city of the world, which is then showcased in unconventional and inventive ways. Speaking to Neos Kosmos, the magazine's editor, Lina Stefanou, gives the backstory. T How did Nomas magazine come to be? Yannis Bournias came up with the idea; each issue of the magazine is devoted to a specific destination. Our team travels to a different place every six months, hence the title. That was the original concept. In an ever-changing and transforming world, Nomas is visiting cities, meeting new people and old cultures, toying around with smells and tastes, transferring knowledge and memory through photos and texts. We wanted to create an exquisite publication that someone would want to collect. For the first time we combined travel with fashion and art, subjects that were strictly separated before - especially fashion and art. But when you're travelling, you'll look at the shop windows, you'll visit museums, you'll stroll around unknown streets, you'll enjoy food. Image takes a centre stage in our pages, but each set of text published carries specific weight, has its own reason of being. We wanted Nomas to be leafed through as a magazine, but read slowly, like a book. Why print, in an era of online and social media? In our latest issue, we feature an interview with the French philosopher Michel Serres; he says that the fact that we enjoy democracy in dispensing information, thanks to technology, does not translate to democracy in the knowledge we accumulate. I believe he's absolutely right. In an age of speed, like the one we live in, it is nice to have things that allow us to slow down in an enjoyable way. We wanted to create a print publication which would carry in its pages the soul of the place we visit in each issue. This is not something that you can achieve with a website. Technology is fast, it is easy, but it is also cold. Nomas refers to time and preserves memory. We are printed on a fantastic, uncoated paper, 120 grams, Munken Polar. To us, nothing can compare to the sense of touching a well-printed publication. Which cities has Nomas visited? Our first stop was Athens, followed by Istanbul, Porto, Paris. But because we live in an ever-changing world, a process that is often violent (migration, crisis, Brexit, terrorism, wars), for our fifth issue we decided to stand still and observe what is going on around as. Like nomads, we have our ear to the ground to listen to the sound of the times and see where we're heading to. We were very concerned as to how our readers would respond to the lack of specific destination. But by removing the 'travellingto-a-certain-city' aspect, we were able to see the world - or at least, a part of it. I think it is a fair trade-in. So after Athens, Istanbul, Porto and Paris, the issue that is currently in circulation is dedicated to transit, to movement giving birth to new things. As for the next destination, all I can say is that the choice criteria are related to the political circumstances, to the place's history, to latitude but also to its appeal upon us, to whether it can seduce us. Is Nomas a response to the crisis? Nomas is indeed an offspring of the crisis. It was born to break the impasse created after the collapse of several print outlets in Greece. The first nomads, after all, were not born adrift, they became wanderers by necessity. This project o say that the media sector is suffering in Greece would be an understatement. The ongoing crisis has added another proves that, even in times of crisis, people are bound to acknowledge and embrace quality. How have you been personally affected by the crisis? Everyone who works in the private sector has been affected. People put much more time into working, only to make half of what they used to make. There are no weekends, anymore, as you're expected to be available seven days a week, eleven hours a day. The conditions are much harder, but at Nomas we feel that we are free to create and escape through travel. This is the most important, in my opinion. How 'Greek' is Nomas? We are citizens of the world, given that our contributors come from diverse backgrounds. But no matter where we go, we carry our identity with us. Being Greek is more than ancestry. It's a way of looking at things. What does it mean, creating an international magazine in Greece today? Creating an international publication in Greece today is a challenge, demanding constant hard work. It also means to rely on the love and devotion of your collaborators, who have believed in this magazine and give their best in order for it to succeed. A magazine is first and foremost the people who make it. All else comes second. What is the biggest challenge you had to face? The greatest challenge was to persuade that this magazine is truly different from the others. At first, people either did not understand the concept, or did not believe us. This ended when our readers and clients held the actual printed magazine in their hands. How has it been received so far? In Greece, each issue is sold out. The Porto issue sold out in Portugal as well. For the Paris issue, the French ambassador in Greece gave a reception in his residency and gave a very flattering speech for us. He said that through Nomas he discovered aspects of Paris he did not know about. That is great praise for us. When we approach artists and writers, they are willing to speak to us, because they like the magazine. Sales abroad are on the rise. We sell more advertising space from issue to issue. But the most important thing is that our clients are proud to be advertised in our pages, they act as if it's their own magazine! What is your greatest aspiration? We have several things planned for the magazine's future, but, for the time being, we're focusing on slowly gaining a bigger share of the market. From that on, the sky's the limit! * Visit www.nomasmagazine.com to locate the closest newsagent/bookstore that sells Nomas magazine. Lina Stefanou